


Cold Feet

by junkyarddoll



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, First War with Voldemort, Gen, Marauders, Marauders' Era, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 05:02:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8237018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junkyarddoll/pseuds/junkyarddoll
Summary: James gets cold feet on his wedding day, because of course he does. Sirius is not the most helpful and Remus gives terrible pep-talks. 
The way I write the marauders owes a lot to the Shoebox Project.





	

James sits in his childhood bedroom, feeling uncomfortable and stuffy in a set of second hand dress robes. He’s wondering when the hell his childhood ended, everything feels like it’s rushing too fast, only he never realises this until he gets moments like this; a pause. It’s been like this since his parent’s died. He can’t believe he’s an adult now, feels like some big bloody joke. Like at any moment someone (most likely Sirius) is going to jump out from behind something and yell, “Got ya! I got you good!” and just like that everything will revert but to how it was back at school; simple. But it’s not simple. Not anymore. It’s fucking chaos and here he is thinking he can just get hitched, just like that. Did he not think? Did he not realise how stupid this idea is? A wedding in the middle of an all out war; idiot. Not only that, but the very realisation of finally marrying Lily-Bloody-Evans was beginning to hit him; hard. He still feels like he’s recovering from the shock of her ever saying yes to a date the second time round, let alone Lily agreeing to walk down the aisle. You’re not good enough for her; the little voice of self doubt sing-songs in his head; this isn’t good enough for her. He feels like running away. It’s eating away at him. It’s the morning of his wedding day and nothing could make him feel any worst than he does now, then Sirius walks in.

“So how is the groom on this fine wedding day? Nervous? Terrified? Questioning your sanity to go ahead with this in the first place?” James groans in response; Sirius continues, “Not to mention hangover, you never did thank me last night for throwing you the best bucks night in the history of man-kind.”

“You’re a bastard Sirius. Those strippers you got me were men!” James grumbles ignoring the feelings gnawing away at his insides.

“I was merely trying to broaden your horizons before you lost the opportunity all together.” Sirius explains as he flops on to the bed next to him. Again James groans in response slumping further downwards his head in his hands. “You alright, mate?”

At first James isn’t sure how he is about to respond. He wants to cry, but he knows if he does Sirius will only take the piss. He wishes he could just laugh it off; shrug off all the feelings with a joke. He knows he can’t though. Next the anger hits him. It’s uncontrollable and spills out;

“No I’m bloody alright! How can I be alright? How can anyone be alright? We’re in the middle of a bloody war and we’re not bloody winning, are we? And you’re messing around throwing bachelor parties and making jokes.” James paused feeing light headed; he had been holding his breath, he hadn’t realised.  Sirius hadn’t replied yet. James felt sick.

“Mate, if you didn’t want a bachelor party you could have just told me.” Sirius muttered, after what James thought was hours, but in reality was closer to seconds. 

“As for the war,” Sirius continued, “I can’t really do anything more to help with that. Sorry. But neither can you. So maybe give yourself a break. It is you wedding day and all that, after all.”

“That’s the problem. This bloody wedding.” James mutters, "Marrying Evans should be some kind magical joyous celebration with fairies, rainbows and sodding unicorns. Lily deserves nothing less than a perfect wedding. I can't give her that, not now, maybe never. This isn't good enough for her. I'm not good enough."

"Come on, mate. You know that's not true. You're an definitely good enough. You're a top bloke. I would marry you!" James remains silent; Sirius begins to feel as though he is swimming upstream.

 

Remus is pacing in the kitchen. He has been pacing in the kitchen for some time now. He is meant to be helping Peter finish the decorations outside but relatives had begun to arrive and someone needed to guard the food. At least that was what he told himself and anyone else who had queried his departure. It felt eerie having some many people gathered at the Potter house again. He suspected it was because the last time he attended such a gathering here it was a far more sober occasion. Today the crowd is buzzing with joyous anticipation. It felt fundamentally wrong. If Sirius were here he would be suggesting the real reason for Remus’ decision to guard the food from a non-existence threat was a general dislike for people. He would have been partly correct but Remus was never going to admit that to his face.

A thunderous stumping noise coming down the stair case interrupts Remus’ peaceful pacing. Sirius appears at the stairs looking slightly more crazed than usual.

"Moony! Help! I need your help!" Sirius bellows grabbing his shoulders and yanking at Remus.

"Help?" Remus responds adding, "Sirius if this about one of your many poor decisions last night you are on your own."

"No, nothing to do with any of that. It's James, he's all weird. Cold feet and angry outbursts. Keeping saying  he's not good enough and talking about just walking away. Which is bloody mental considering he's already bought all the food and paid the minister."

"I'm not too sure how I am meant to help with this. You're his best friend, his best man even. This kind of thing is in the job description. Make one of your terribly inappropriate jokes and give him a pep talk."

"You think I haven't tired that? It's not working. You go talk to him."

"What? No, I'm no good that pep talks. You remember the last time I tried in fifth year. I'd probably end up accidentally encouraging him to leave Lily at the altar and become a missionary in Africa."

"Come on, Moony. Just try. You're the reasonable sensible one. Surely, he'll listen to you."

"Alright, I'll try but don't hold your breath. As the reasonable sensible one I strongly recommend you find a plan b."

"Okay sounds good. You go talk to James. I will conjure a plan b or c or something." With that Sirius fled the room in the same crazed manner he entered. Remus sighed and went off to up hold his part of the deal.

 

Sirius description of James state was accurate. He mood was being screamed by his defeated posture and grim face. He barely looked up when Remus entered instead just groaned out a single.

"No." and put his head back into his hands.

"Look we both know I am not good a pep talks." James grunted in response no looking up.

"However," Remus continued, "As you friend I can only advise that you do not run away and leave Lily at the altar. That would be very foolish. Especially given the sheer amount of time your devoted to trying to get her go on a date with you, let alone marry you. I still remember school and how insufferable you were angsting over her. No one wants to go through that again just because of your cold feet. "

"You're right. You're shit at pep talks. That was awful and mean." James muttered.

"Yes. Well, I did warn you. I really don't know what else to say. Sirius has probably already said everything and with far more enthusiasm. " Remus shrugs as him seats himself on the bed next to James. There are hurried footsteps coming up the stairs which Remus suspects is Sirius and his plan b. His suspicions are confirmed by Sirius' slightly panicked voice;

"You can't go in there. You've got your dress on and everything. It's bad luck or something." The next voice is louder and there is no doubt whom it belongs to.

"You know what else is bad luck, Sirius? Not getting married at all because the groom got cold feet and his groomsmen panicked and didn't know what to do. Move and let me in or I may hex you." The door swings open and Lily stomps in full bridal wear.

"James Potter! What's this I hear about you wanting to cancel the wedding? I don't recall saying you could do that." She exclaims. A which point Remus quickly rises and mumbles something about giving them some time alone and leaves the room.

Sirius and Remus hover together in the hallway, listening to Lily's loud rebuttals;

"And who said you were allowed to decide what's good enough for me! I am the only one who gets to decide that! And I have decided this is good enough for me! You are good enough. That excuse is not good enough."

James says some else and Lily just laughs. Voices are starting to sound quieter and kinder as Peter arrives in the hallway. Shortly after Lily opens the door and as she leaves she calls out,

"James Potter, you better get yourself to the altar right now because in ten minutes I am walking down that aisle and if you're not there I will kiss someone else."

James is smiling with a giddy look on his face,

"I'm going to marry that girl." He says with a smile on his face.

"Yes, and you should probably fix your dress robes and get downstairs quick to do that." Remus points out quietly as Sirius pats James on the back begins to guide him out of the room.


End file.
